We had the opportunity to visit the city of New Orleans in the spring of 2018. Since that visit, I have been itching to make it back there. During our 4 days, we barely scratched the surface of this place.

This city is alive. It holds so much history and character that you are instantly transported to a different time and place. It feels like one big jazz album playing from start to finish as you walk the streets. If you can move past the designation of party town, due in part to Bourbon Street and its festivals, you can start to unlock the magic of this place. It is not without its struggles though. Tourism is a big industry for New Orleans and that money fuels to keep the touristy places being visited. This city is still recovering from years of poverty and natural disasters mixed throughout, so being respectful to its history and struggles is important.

For cities in the lower 48 of the United States, New Orleans is the one that feels like it was transplanted straight from another country and time.

The first thing I noticed was the light in this city. We crossed the delta into the city just as the morning light was illuminating our surroundings. Even through our multiple days wandering around, the magic of light here always amazed me. When you throw in the vibrant colors, it makes it even more enjoyable as a photographer.

So, why monochrome? With the pops of color and quality of light, I noticed it lent itself extremely well to making subjects pop. If you removed the color, the texture of the city comes alive and rendered some of my favorite images from this trip.

Above are 5 that stuck out to me with many many more I enjoyed from this visit, but will have to share another time.